As we got our interview feedback forms from the Business Symposium this week, I was reminded of a piece of advice that I had strangely received from all three of my interviewers: expand your horizons to encompass more than just the marketing sector. To add to it, even the first professional that I had the pleasure of interviewing, Mr. Del Porto, had also talked about how there are too many people in the marketing sector, who because of their inability to grasp larger business process, are limited in the breadth of their understanding. Now, realizing far early in the road that a career International Business is going to have many obstacles in the way, precisely in the form of overt competition, I knew that I have to do more in order increase my understanding and experience with the field.
In light of this same goal, I have taken on a new endeavor: starting a business. Through a program offered through the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, I hope become an entrepreneur and experiment with my creativity as well as learn more about the financial, operational, and administrative sectors of a company. Sure, the success rate for an entrepreneurial venture lies at just above 3%, but what I hope to gain most from this experience is both the tacit and implicit knowledge needed to gain a holistic understanding of businesses. In terms of my ISM journey, I am certain that embarking on an entrepreneurial endeavor will help me further learn about International Marketing. Being able to compare businesses at the local and global scale will be interesting, and I look forward to learning more about these pathways and their intersections.
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As they say, you dream about what you anticipate. In my case, my midnight marvels last week consisted mouthwatering dreams of gorging down on sizzling pizza; the tangy flavor of the sauce combined with the juicy outburst of pineapples (yes, I like pineapples on pizza) created the ultimate reverie. Now why, you might ask, was I having dreams about eating pineapple pizza at 4 in the morning?
Last Friday, I had the pleasure to interview Ms. Regina Borda, the Chief Brand Officer of the Latin American and Caribbean regions for Pizza Hut International. Walking into the building and seeing the images of pizza and the signature “red hut”, it was no wonder that I was dreaming about pizza every night. Nonetheless, meeting with Ms. Borda allowed me to get a firm grasp on the concept of marketing; and quite frankly, after walking into the Pizza Hut corporate office, it became apparent that marketing and brand management played a significant role in business, considering I had been thinking about pizza all week. In addition to her technical knowledge about brand management, Ms. Borda was able to share amusing stories from across the world. For example, in Peru, a couple solidified their utmost love and devotion to pizza by consecrating their marriage in the very halls of a small Pizza Hut franchise. Exploring the entertaining side of marketing and international business, it was truly exciting to see how easy it is to conglomerate enjoyment and logistics into one concept. As I continue with my ISM journey, I hope to embody the same balance between enjoyment and work. Eso si que es. Translated literally, this short and sweet Spanish adage means “it is what it is”. Aside from the fact that it is easy to remember (try spelling “socks” out loud), this quote continually reminds me the importance of accepting outcomes, whether good or bad, and then moving on.
Drawing inspiration from this phrase, I seek to continue in my ISM journey with strong determination and work ethic. Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to conduct more research over different international marketing topics, and taking upon the advice of Mr. Jerome Del Porto, the Vice President of CEO, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing last week, I started learning French. Sure, my learning consisted of watching different YouTube videos of “Learn French with Alexa”, (whom I totally recommend by the way), I was able to finally master the art of saying “bonjour je m'appelle antara, comment vas-tu?”. Hopefully with a video a day, I can make some “conversation-worthy” progress in the near future — perhaps I can go chat up the French teacher one day. On another note, as we approach the heart of the ISM journey, I have already started to feel the weight of all my responsibilities. With two interviews scheduled this week, I am excited to see what new ideas I can learn from these ladies and how it can further shape my future career in international business. This week was quite hectic. In terms of my ISM journey, this week consisted of attending the Business Symposium and conducting my first informational interview. Although quite anxious at first as to what kind of impression I would make on professionals, all my tensions were relieved when I started talking to them. Although u didn't meet anyone who directly worked in International Business, the Business Symposium allowed me to gain a more open perspective regarding the corporate world. All three of the interviews that I participated in were conducted by business professionals who worked in marketing. Stressing the importance of a holistic understanding on business, these professionals helped me recognize that I should focus my research assessments around more different aspects such as marketing, finance, and operations.
Furthermore, as I stepped into the professional world where interviews and networking are a norm, I had the honor to conduct my first informational interview with Mr. Jerome Del Porto, the Vice President of 7-11. A native of France, Mr. Del Porto highlighted how even though he lived in two different places, International Business remained highly the same. He recounted many interesting stories from his experiences in both countries, which further confirmed my belief in studying International Business. In the upcoming weeks, I have more interviews scheduled with different professionals in International Business. Aiming to gain a multifarious understanding, I hope to increase my exposure to International Business and thus develop my passion. |